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130 * - end attachments of the various princi- pal girders. These girders do not ter- minute on unsupported plating, but are attached at their ends by strong flanged brackets to other girders as rigid as themselves. The importance of secur- ing rigid end attachments is not al- ways realized. Because of the damage which has been found to occur at the stringer and keelson connections at the bulkheads, damage which has fre- quently taken the form of sheared and started rivets, it has been argued by some that it was the very rigidity of the structure which had there con- centrated stress and localized injury. It has been argued, too, that a rela- tively flexible construction is better adapted than a more rigid one for an oil-vessel, and the substitution of "deep" frames for web-frames, for ex- ample, has been proposed. The author does not think that such contentions are founded in reason, or justifiable - on an examination of all the facts. It is true, indeed, that the maximum flexural strength is obtained from any girder fixed at the ends when the bending moment in the middle is equal to that at the ends, a condition predicating a definite slope at the ends. It is therefore a sound practice shipbuilding this may be said to be an ideal condition, and any attempt to secure in practice so nice an adjust- ment will almost certainly result in an increase of the maximum bending mo- ment with a change in its position as a necessary correlative--that is, an in- creased stress and greater resultant failure somewhere else than at the ends. tI is therefore a sound practice which aims at employing that type of girder the form of which gives the greatest possible amount of rigidity, and which endeavors to approximate as far as possible to a 'condition of fixity at the ends of the same. Little Change The construction shown in Figs. 4 to 9 has not exhibited much change since oil-vessels were first built, but there is no reason why suitable modi- fications should not be adopted. These to be successful should follow the modern tendency to be observed in the case of other merchant ships, a ten- dency towards simplification of con- struction and a reduction of the num- ber of parts, associated with a close correspondence with the requisite standard of strength. The bulkhead, for instance, could be so modified by increasing the strength and stiffness of one set of girders as to permit of the reduction or elimination of others. The strength and stiffness of the hori- zontal girders on the bulkheads, for example, could be so increased as to THE MARINE REVIEW permit of a reduction in the number of webs, or, indeed, they might be made of such scantlings as would sup- port the entire load on the bulkheads from the side to the center. (To be continued.) -- New Spanish Mail Steamer The Reina Victoria~-Eugenia, a Span- ish mail and passenger steamer of the very highest class has just completed her trial and is on the point of leaving the Tyne. She has been built at the Neptune works of Swan, Hunter & Wigham Richardson, Ltd. and is pro- pelled by four screws, two of them be- ing driven by twin-screws, four-crank, triple-expansion engines balanced on the well known Yarrow, Schlick & Tweedy system, and the two outer propellers are driven by low pressure turbines, which have been supplied by The Par- sons Marine Steam Turbine Co., Ltd., Wallsend. The steamer is 480 ft. in length, 61 ft. beam and 35 ft. depth, and is classed in the highest class of Lloyds Regis- ter, and is also classed by the Regis- tro Italiano for the purpose of carry- ing emigrants from Italy to South America. She also complies with Boatd "of. Trade réquirements. as a passenger steamer. The prevailing idea in the design of the vessel has been safety and luxury. The safety of the passengers is en- sured by the vessel being divided into a large number of watertight com- partments, the bulkheads. dividing which have quick closing doors on the Stone-Lloyd system, worked from the flying bridge. As a further meas- ure of safety there are fitted wireless telegraphy, Clayton's system of fire extinguishing apparatus and submarine signalling, together with an ample sup- ply of lifeboats, collapsible boats, etc. The ventilation which, as the vessel will run through the tropics, is a ques- tion of prime importance, will be en- sured by means of many electrically- driven fans. There is also fitted an isolated hospital where infectious dis- eases may be dealt with. An electric passenger lift and a gymnasium have also been fitted up. The question of the propulsion of the vessel has been the subject of much care and thought, and the com- bination of twin screw reciprocating engines with two low-pressure tur- bines, the latter taking their steam from the low pressure cylinders of the reciprocating ehgines, has been adopt- ed after careful consideration. This combination of reciprocating engines and turbines has been advocated by Swan, Hunter & Wigham Richardson April, 19]3_ for some considerable time for yes. sels of large size and good speed, and the results obtained on the trials of the very great economy in fuel cop. sumption to be gained by the adoption of this system. Although the weather on the trial trips was not of the most favorable description, the highly satisfactory speed of over 18% knots per hour was attained. ; The steamer will carry no less than 2,100 passengers, divided into 250 jp the first class, 100 second class, 9 third class and a large number of emigrants. The accommodation for ,the first class passengers is amidships and con- sists of public rooms, including a social hall, gallery and restaurant, mu- sic room, library and writing room, smoking room, veranda cafe, dining room, and vestibule and inquiry office, The hall isin the Georgian style, the music. room: and. libary are in the Louis XVI style and the smokeroom is Jacobean. Battleship Pennsylvania The act of congress of Aug. 22, 1912, provided for the construction of the new battleship Pennsylvania at a cost for hull and machinery not to exceed $7,425,000. The total cost of the vessel will be about $14,173,000. The vessel will be the largest of this class yet designed for the United States navy. The plans contemplate a vessel of the following characteristics: Length, 600 ft. Breadth, 97 ft. Draught, about 28 ft. 6 in. Displacement, about 31,000 tons. Main battery of twelve 14-in. guns, and four submerged torpedo tubes, supported by a torpedo defense battery of twenty-two 5-inch guns. The vessel will be heavily armored and will have oil burning boilers of the wwatertube type. Several types of machinery are under consideration, but the type to be finally adopted has not yet been definitely determined. The Polland Co., Portland, Me., has been awarded contract for the com- struction of a towboat fer the Com- mercial Towboat Co., of Boston, to be 142 ft. 9 in. long, 26 ft. 6 in. beam and 15 ft. 11 in. deep. The hull is to be built by the Cobb-Butler Co., of Rock- land, Me. The torpedo boat destroyer Parker was launched at Cramps, Philadelphia, last month, being christened by H. W. Hand, vice president and general man- ager of the company. The Parker 1s 305 ft. in length, 33 ft. 6 in. beam and 8 ft. deep.